1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seesaw sliding composite motion switch capable of executing both the operations of seesaw or push-pull operation and a slide operation, and more specifically, to a seesaw sliding composite motion switch for actuating a sunroof actuating/driving device of a motor vehicle by an oppositely directed push-pull operation or slide operation of a vehicle sunroof and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, this type of a device is disclosed in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,237 or Germany Unexamined Patent Publication No. 3931722.
As shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, such a conventional seesaw sliding composite motion switch 90 is assembled to a vehicle roof 91. The opening/closing actuating/driving device of a vehicle sunroof 92 is actuated by the oppositely directed slide operation of a single knob 100. Further, the lifting/lowering actuating/driving device of the vehicle sunroof 92 is actuated by the oppositely directed swing operation of the knob 100.
As shown in FIG. 13, when operation is executed in four directions (turning ON of contacts) by the single knob 100, pins 102, 102 are disposed to the knob 100 and a simultaneous turning ON preventing cross groove 104 is defined to a holder 103 so that simultaneous turning ON is prevented in such a manner that the pins 102 of the knob 100 trace in the cross groove 104.
The term, "simultaneous turning ON" used here means that the knob 100 executes a swinging motion simultaneous with a sliding motion or vice versa .
FIG. 14 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the conventional seesaw sliding composite motion switch and FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken along the line XIV--XIV of FIG. 14.
As shown in these drawings, a slider 73 is automatically returned by the cooperation of a contact bridge 72 disposed on the floor portion 71 of a holder 103, an urged ball 74 disposed to the slider 73, and a guide bush 75 and a guide ball 76 as well as a switch leg portion 78 slidingly mounted to the slider 73 through a shaft portion 77 is returned to the middle point of swing by a contact bridge 79 moving together with the slider 73 and an urged ball 80 disposed to the switch leg portion 78. The conventional device has the following problems:
(1) since the restricted size of a switch restricts the size of the pins 102 of the knob 100, if a large actuating force is applied to the pins 102 and a large shear force is generated thereto by a driver who actuates an actuating element, there is a possibility that the pins 102 will be broken;
(2) since a slide core must be formed to a metal mold by the provision of the cross groove 104, the shape of the metal mold is made complex, and the cost of the metal mold is increased; and;
(3) since insufficient contact to a contact portion may be caused by an invasion of dirt such as dusts and the like from the cross groove 104, there is a possibility that the switch will not be securely operated.
In the above conventional device, since one of the ball and the contact bridge 79 or the guide bush 75, each relating the return of the slider 73, is disposed to the slider 73 and the other is disposed on the floor portion 71 of the holder 103 and they are elastically engaged with each other, it is difficult to assemble them. Since the contact is used as a portion of a return mechanism, an external force is directly applied to the contact to thereby lower the reliability of switching. Further, the arrangement of the switch is restricted and cannot be selected from a wide variety of arrangements.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a seesaw sliding composite motion switch which can execute a motion in four directions, or both the sliding directions and both the swing directions, from a neutral position; has no possibility of deformation or breakage which arises in the conventional device even if a strong force is applied to the switch, because the force is dispersed by the switch; and can use a metal mold of simple structure and reduced cost.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a seesaw sliding composite motion switch which can independently and stably execute a motion in four directions, or both the sliding directions and both the swing directions (vent motion direction), from a neutral position by a simple arrangement.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a seesaw sliding composite motion having a feature that, since a slide and swinging motion return mechanism is completed when a holder is assembled with a slider and a lever, an assembly job effected thereafter can be performed easily; and since no switching element is related to the returning mechanisms, the reliability of switching is not lowered and various types of switch mechanisms can be employed.